Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is technically classed as an anxiety disorder.  The condition often develops after a person has experienced a traumatic event.  It may be triggered by a life-threatening event either by direct experience, or to someone within close proximity.  Other examples of triggered events include natural disasters like bush fire or flood, war or torture, a serious motor vehicle accident and physical or sexual assault.  The severity of an episode can be intensified if there has been repeated exposure to a traumatic event.  Such experiences can result in a person experiencing horror, anger, hopelessness and intense fear, all of which are very natural reactions.

The time for PTSD to develop can vary quite dramatically from person to person.  Some people can develop symptoms directly after a traumatic even, while others find the effects can emerge weeks, month or even years later.  The varied time for negative emotions to present can be due to the fact that the one of the prime directive of the unconscious mind is to repress memories with unresolved negative emotions.  PTSD can cause an individual to become highly dissociated in order to distance themselves from the unresolved negative emotions.  Many people that suffer from PTSD often describe a sense of physical numbness and report having difficulties achieving stable sleep patterns.

It is estimated that up to 10 per cent of people will suffer from PTSD at some point in their life according to the Australian centre of Post Traumatic Mental Health.  It has also been found that PTSD has been made the second most common mental health disorder after new finding have revealed that as many as 800,000 Australians from PTSD at any given time, although it is not clear why some people develop it and why others don’t.

PTSD

PTST is commonly associated with individual being overcome with a sudden rush of fear.  The physical and cognitive symptoms that a person suffers are directly connected with the ‘fight or flight’ response. There are various triggers that can cause a panic attack to occur such as geographical locations or associations that resemble the original source of the trauma.  A smell or thought may also be a trigger, while other times individuals report that there was no logical reason for an episode.

There are many people who suffer from PTSD can find it can lead to agoraphobia.  Agoraphobia occurs when the person is anxious about being in situations or places where they might have a panic attack and when help and comfort may be difficult to achieve.  I will get into more detail about this in my next blog about the Symptoms and treatment of PTSD.  If you have any forms of stress in your life that you would like to reduce the effects of, click the button below and get a free audio download relaxation hypnosis mp3.